The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-04-21
TURKISH GIRLS.

Every Turkish girl, says a writer in
Hd1per's Bdzdr, is permitted to attend
either the public schools attached to
the mosques or to receive private in
structlon at home-that is, in the sell
amluk-until she is or years of age,
when she Is no longer allowed the free
dom OF her childhood. At that period
she feels as proud as a young miss
does IN Christendom who dOffs her
short clothes and considers herself a
young lady.
The limited time allotted them for
instruction, the difficult nature of the
language, which is most complicated,
and the mode of tuition being alto
gether runsystematical. very little learn
ing is acquired by them: So that for
all future years they retain their SIM
plicity, and are but overgrown chill
dren.
Notwithstanding their limited cdu-
catisn, it is delightful to listen to the
melodiOus tone of their voices, as they
speak with remarkable purity the har-
monious Turkish language. There is
no SHINING against grammar or MUIR
dering the sultan's Turkish from the
lips of Turkish woman, no matter
how low her lot in life. | happened
to be i'll the apartment of functionary
| at the war office. The room being
large, it was partitioned with a wooden
wall. The adjoining section was occu-
pied by the auditor. / heard the voice
of woman pleading for pay. 1t seems
that her husband was captain in the
army and away on military duty. Prior
to his departure he had made arrange
ments to have half of his pay given to
his wife, but for the last nine months
she had been unable to realize a para.
Being driven to extremities, she had
come to state her pitiable condition.
This She did in accents so sweet, words
so mellifluous, and language so choice
and elegant that | was not only at
tracted by it, but surprised at the in
cident. | could not, of course, see her,
and consequently could not tell wheth-
er she was old or young, pretty or
otherwise; but the manner Of her plead
ing and her melodious accent were
sufficient to fill my imagination with all
that is poetic and lOvely-and this from
the lips of one evidently not of the
highest class.
Their domestic occupations vary ac-
cording to their stations. The poor
and the middle classes are, as a mat
ter of course, occupied with household
work, sewing, and embroidery for
market; those of the higher with |
prinking, by which they hope to render
themselves bewitching to the lords of
creation, 1t is most amusing to see a |
young lady perched on the sofa with |
hand-mirror intently engaged for hours
in giving the requisite shape to her
eyebrows or embellishing her headgear,
etc.
Their minds having had no culture,
the senses naturally assume entire |
dominion over them, and their time is
thus spent either in adornin" their per-
sons or in observance of etiquette. |
There are certain acts which devoIve |
altogether upon the sterner sex in the |
most eXquisitely civilized regions of |
the world, which are, however, some
times Reluctantly performed, but as
usual such matters are reversed in the |
East, where even the sun rises at q |
different hour. There the effendi gra-
ciously receives Il glass of water at the |
hands of his too happy hannum; his
pipe and his coffee are gracefully serv-
ell by some fair Hebe of wife OF sister.
who naturally considers herself as the
helpmeet for her spouse, as did Eve,
the first and fairest of womankind.
Indeed their department in COM
pany especially towards persons of
consideration, is truly admirable, and
could only be expected from those OF
high education.
Oriental life has many distinguishing
peculiarities and characteristic forms
of politeness, but, unlike other parts of
the globe, etiquette is in the East per-
manent and general. The mental ac-
complishments being but few, wealth
seems to constitute the only aristocratic
distinction, while the poorest and the
richest are equally versed in the estab-
ished routine of civilitv.
1t is curious to observe the native
refinement even of the lower classes in
Turkey. There is no gaucherie, no
reluctance in any one to do the right
thing in the right way and place; no
fear of being unlike other personages
in manners and customs; for there is
no doubt as to the prescribed and most
elegant style of conduct; even the salu-
tatiOns, compliments, and congratula-
tions are most carefully worded, and
any deviation from the formula would
destroy the intended effect.